Microsoft recently integrated EA Play into the Ultimate Tier of Xbox Game Pass, which bolstered the game subscription service’s already extensive catalog with blockbuster titles such as Mass Effect, Titanfall 2, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. A new rumor from Windows Central’s Jez Corden suggests that Microsoft is about to make a similar deal for Ubisoft’s game subscription service, Ubisoft+.
“I’ve seen rumours about Ubisoft Uplay+ joining Xbox Game Pass Ultimate,” Corden tweeted. “I think this has a strong chance of being true, based on stuff I’ve heard.”
“I imagine it would be a vault or smaller slice of older games, but crazier things have happened. I always thought EA Play would be an extra tier of Game Pass, but they just rolled that bad boy right in. Guess we’ll see.”
Ubisoft+ costs $14.99 a month and grants access to over 100 Ubisoft games. If Microsoft does manage to strike a deal with the French publisher, Xbox Game Pass subscribers will presumably be able to enjoy a ton of older hits like Beyond Good & Evil and the Splinter Cell series on top of the current catalog. Access to newer titles such as Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Watch Dogs Legion may also be a possibility.
In a recent interview with GAMINGbible, Xbox marketing GM Aaron Greenberg commented on EA Play and confirmed that Microsoft was open to similar partnerships as a way of increasing the value of Xbox Game Pass.
“EA Play was its own standalone subscription service” Greenberg said. ” Now, including that in Game Pass as a great value; I mean, we believe the best way is to continue to add more value to Game Pass. That’s our primary focus.”
“But that doesn’t mean that we’re not against offering gamers choice. If there’s another subscription service they want to add on, we announced the partnership with Disney+, we’re giving 30 free days away of Disney+ to members, we’ve done stuff with Spotify and other subscription services. So we’re open to doing marketing partnerships and co-promoting those services because we know for many people, the best way to experience whether it’s games or other forms of entertainment, is to get kind of the all-you-can-eat plan at the one low monthly price.”
I imagine it would be a vault or smaller slice of older games, but crazier things have happened. I always thought EA Play would be an extra tier of Game Pass, but they just rolled that bad boy right in. Guess we'll see.
— Jez (@JezCorden) December 30, 2020